Count On Me
by BreatheToDie
Summary: "T-T-Tomm-y." Billy chokes out, his eyes locked on Tommy full of something Tommy can't identify (and if he's honest with himself, he doesn't want to). - Billy and Tommy brother fic 'cause I don't think they delve half as deep as they should into that relationship and I love them both!


So, this is my first story so I hope you like it! Thanks for reading~

**Disclaimers: **I do not own Young Avengers or any of the characters in it!

**Count On Me**

YAYAYAYA

The fight had started out much like they do now-a-days. Well versed in the art of warfare, and knowing each others attacks better than they know their own, mistakes were rarely made. Watching you own back wasn't as important as it use to be; now, you're too busy watching your teammates backs and depending on them to do the same.

Everyone had improved over the past few months, honing their skills and learning to work as one instead of seven separate fighting spirits. Billy's control heightened and Kate's aim improved, Cassie's combat knowledge increased and Teddy's morphing quickened, Vision's communication skills enhanced and Tommy became a more reliable party, and as well as that Eli's choices as a leader became more dependable.

Everything was going well, and they had never felt higher.

So why, then, Tommy wondered, was something sticky and red dribbling down his pale face as if it were a substance as insignificant as water, and why couldn't he tear his eyes away from the sight before him.

More importantly, though, why was Billy's smile so sour and twisted. Why was his face so contorted in pain, and why was there a hole in his chest. Why was something dark spilling from his torso too fast and why couldn't Tommy move, suddenly, when his entire life was spent twitching and fidgeting like a hyper puppy.

Billy wavers, his slim legs tremble and a cough rips from his chest; wet and gurgled and choked, and blood wells in his mouth and rushes out like a waterfall, down his chin and over his neck. His lips are painted red, and his teeth crimson as the smile persists, and then he's coughing harder through the blood.

"T-T-Tomm-y." Billy chokes out, his eyes locked on Tommy full of something Tommy can't identify (and if he's honest with himself, he doesn't want to) and his arm trembles as it rocks forward, hand grappling with the edge of Tommy's shirt (they weren't expecting to fight having headed to the cliffs in their free time and somehow - not remarkably - attracted trouble so they had no time for the luxury of costumes).

Tommy can't do anything but stand there frozen to the spot, emerald eyes caught on the sight of his, all-oddities-aside, brother. _Twin, _his twin. His dark-haired, geeky, strangely enough slightly smaller, gay twin who he hates and ignores and finds unbearably annoying.

His twin who just saved his life for reasons Tommy can't understand because he is absolutely awful to the guy, except maybe Billy feels differently about Tommy and the guilt that's attacking him right now he thinks might just be the worst feeling in the world.

Then Billy's keeling forward like a puppet whose strings have been snapped, his hand still firmly grasping at Tommy's shirt and his honey eyes unfocused in a way that unexpectedly ties up Tommy's stomach in a painful knot.

Billy's so close that he knocks against his twin in the process of falling, and Tommy doesn't know how he does it, because his mind is everywhere and his body isn't receiving any commands his brain is signaling, but by some miracle his arms come up to wrap around Billy's limp body. Billy's hair itches against his neck and his twins head is resting against his chest, and his legs aren't holding up any of his weight so Tommy's pretty sure he just passed out, but he still can't do anything remotely useful except cradle his twin to him.

Something wet begins to soak through his jeans along his hip where his twins stomach makes contact and Billy wheezes against him, and then his neck's also slick with undoubtably blood, and all Tommy can think of is how he's such a shit brother and Billy's not because the guy just gave up his life for his shitty twin and Tommy doesn't think he would have done the same.

"_Tommy_!" Someone screeches right by his ear, in a voice that's cracking and desperate, and he turns his head without really thinking to see Kate there, tears burning down her cheeks and mouth moving too fast for Tommy to understand anything. Which is unusual, because usually it's _him _speaking too quick for anyone to comprehend.

"What?" He hears himself mumble and he doesn't remember commanding his mouth to do that.

"Jesus, Tommy! For God sakes get Billy out of here. He needs to be somewhere safe!" She's screaming, and then Tommy looks down into his arms. _'Oh, yeah.' _He thinks. _'Billy'. _"Tommy!" Katie screams again, grabbing his shoulder in a vice grip that should hurt but Tommy barely even feels it. "Tommy! Go. _Now_!" Then she's shoving him off towards the tree line before whipping around to shoot at one of the monsters.

Tommy stumbles a bit, and realizes Billy can't walk. Billy's not even conscious. Billy needs to be carried. His legs feel like jelly and his arms aren't much better but he somehow manages to adjust himself so he has one arm locked around Billy's knees and the other around his shoulders, and his hand against Billy's back is painted red.

It takes longer than he'd care to admit for him to remember and figure out how to use his powers, and then he's gone in a flash except he doesn't really know where he's going, only that soon he can't even hear the battle so he stops.

Billy's pale, too white and he's still spewing blood. Tommy knows this is bad, like, bad in the way that he knows Billy needs to go to a hospital _now _but for some reason Tommy can't bring himself to get around to heading in the direction of one.

Instead he falls back against a tree, his back pressed firmly against the bark and Billy cradled in his lap, and there's the blood again seeping between them but Tommy can't really get his head around that fact.

"You idiot." He hisses, and kind of hates himself for it but not as much as he hates Billy for making him doubt himself so much.

He doesn't expect an answer, but then amber eyes are blinking open and Billy sees him before giving him this kind-of adoring stare and struggles to smile, for _Tommy, _because he knows Tommy is scared and terrified and only half of his fear is because Billy is possibly dying but mostly because Billy loves him enough to die _for _him and he can't pretend any longer that he's alone.

"S-s-sor-ry." Billy stutters out weakly. "M-m-must b-be ha-rd, hmmm." He grins in this happy, victorious way. "T-to be lo-loved. T-to b-be pa-rt o-of som-something bi-bigg-er than-than yo-yourself. I-I feel f-for you, br-brother."

Then something like a raindrop falls on Billy's face and streaks into his hair, and Tommy looks up because when did it start raining, only it's not. Then he feels the hot _something _making it's way down his cheek, and _holy shit, _he can't remember the last time he cried.

And he's full on sobbing, now.

Billy frowns in this simple, confused way that makes the tears come harder, but smiles again soon after which makes it even worse because Tommy wants to yell at him to stop trying, stop trying for his _idiot, jerk twin. _"S-s'okay." Billy mumbles around a cough, and his hand comes up, falls, he tries again, succeeds, and he fumbles against Tommy's cheek, uncoordinated, and finally manages to wipe the tears on one side away, but his thumb pokes Tommy in the eye accidentally, and Tommy laughs but cries harder, and now there's a blood streak across his face.

"Why did you do it?" Tommy cries, and God, does he feel like a child but he hasn't had a family in like, _ever, _so he never had to face the thought of being loved enough for someone to die for you, or the thought that someone he loves will die on him, and Billy can't die because then who will prove Tommy wrong and love him despite what a huge dick he is ninety-nine percent of the time.

Billy struggles to speak, blood welling in his mouth more vigorously than before and although Tommy doesn't check, he's sure it's still spewing from his waist. "Br-brother… _Twin._" He manages to get out and looks deeply into Tommy's eye, trying to convey everything he can't say, and Tommy understand.

"Okay, okay." He sobs, takes a deep breath and tries to pull himself together. "Brother." He repeats, just to assure himself. "Twin."

Then Tommy finds his strength, wonders where it was hiding as he rises to his feet and supposes maybe it was in Billy, but doesn't think too hard on it.

"Now, to the hospital. We'll be there in a minute or two, so don't go dying on me, you hear!" He looks into Billy's dulling eyes. "Hey, you hear me. You can't die on me now. Not after all it took to get me to see this shit your way!" He shakes Billy a bit, and Billy moans in pain before blinking his eyes back open. "You're gonna be fine!"

Billy lets out this strangled giggle-cough. "B-blood. Ha-hair."

"What?" Tommy thinks maybe Billy's finally lost it (blood loss and all that) before it dawns on him. "Theres blood in my hair?" He wonders, and Billy lets out this irritated sigh before nodding. "Guess I look a bit funny."

Billy's eyes are drawing shut again, it's slow, like a child fighting sleep, but then he stops resisting and lets them close. "L-like fe-feeling o-o-of go-going fast." He mutters, smiling crimson lips against a stark white face.

"Good, I like it too." Tommy laughs, his heart thundering in his chest with each step and straining painfully in a way he's never felt before.

"Teddy." Billy whispers, voice hoarse but hopeful in a way that tugs implausibly on Tommy's heart.

Tommy smiles sadly. "Don't worry. Once I get you to the hospital I'll go find him and bring him to you. He's still fighting, I'm sure, but I know he's thinking of you. He's probably out of his mind with worry, but I'll go get him and let him know you're gonna be fine." He looks down at his now unconscious brother.

"You're gonna be fine." He repeats, more for his own sake before he speeds up to a pace he's never imagined. "So this is what love can do." He sighs, feels sappy for smiling and thinks about all the violent video games he'll have to play to regain his rights to manhood.

"I could get use to this."


End file.
